To Live or Die For
by writer.philosopher
Summary: House needs to learn a lesson. A young cancer patient makes House consider the difference between what it means to live for something… and what it means to die for it. oneshot.


House needs to learn a lesson. A young cancer patient makes House consider the difference between what it means to live for something… and what it means to die for it. oneshot.

"How old is he?"

"Six. I just need you to watch him for a second."

"You have a six-year-old cancer patient?"

"Yes."

"Well you can't have sex with _him_." There was that smug look, that self-worshiping bastardly eye widening and eyebrow raising.

"House. This isn't the place."

"You like neediness. You marry neediness, remember? You can't marry a six-year-old boy."

"House!"

"What? I'm just trying to figure out why you would take his case. Did you know his mother? His father? Sleep with his sister?"

"House, I am warning you…"

Dr. Gregory House, as if struck by an idea, looked up sharply over Dr. James Wilson's right shoulder. The door of the elevator that his eyes found slid open smoothly, revealing one Dr. Lisa Cuddy.

"Fine; I'll watch the tyke. But you cover four of my clinic hours."

His deal proposed and inadvertently accepted, Dr. House hobbled toward the elevator, supporting himself, as always, with his cane.

"Nice shirt," he said, glancing down on Dr. Cuddy and down her low-cut top.

"Go to hell," was her response, not unusual. "And don't destroy my hospital."

"Wouldn't think of it!" Dr. House called through the rapidly diminishing gap in the elevator door, pulling a worn tennis ball from his pocket.

As the elevator ascended, House wondered again, to himself this time, why Wilson was so fascinated with the six-year-old. By the time the doors slid open before him, House had still come up with nothing. He had half a mind to ride the elevator up and down until the answer came to him, but he stepped out and continued en route to his destination, deciding that if he could just talk to the boy for a moment before calling a nurse to babysit, he might solve this new puzzle.

-:-

"So you know Dr. Wilson?" House asked, observing the boy in the hospital bed before him. He had dark hair, chocolate eyes, and tan skin.

"Yupp. He's my friend." His voice was strong, despite his cancer.

"He's my friend too." As he said this, House nodded once, tightened his lips, and narrowed his eyes slightly, out of habit. "What do you talk to him about?"

"Me a lot. I mean, I talk a lot. Dr. Wilson says I'm very smart."

"He does, does he now. Well, what does he say that you say is smart?"

"He says I look at life and death how he never saw."

_Damn. This kid is pretty smart. He can answer questions pretty intelligently._

"And how's that?"

The kid shrugged.

"Do you want me to tell you what happened right before he told me that?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he asked me if I was afraid to die. I said not the actual death part scares me, but I'm afraid of what I won't have a chance to live for. I told him that I would never get to die for a reason. And he said he wasn't sure he knew what I meant. So I said, 'I'm only six. I haven't had a chance to love a girl. I never had something that kept me wanting to live. I never had a reason to care one way or the other. There was never something so important to me that I was tied to this world by it.' I was going to stop there, but Dr. Wilson told me to keep going. So I said, 'I'm only six. I've haven't had a chance to fight for what I believe in. I never had something that I might lay my life down for. I never had a reason to care one way or the other. There was never something so important to me that I was willing to be untied from this world for it.' Then he said, 'Tell me more.' So I said, 'I'm only six. There's a lot I haven't had a chance to do. I haven't gotten to live for something. I haven't gotten to die for something. There's a big difference when people say things like 'she's the only one I'm living for' and things like 'I'd be willing to die for my country.' If you're living for something, it's important to you. But if you're dying for something, it's important to those you're living for. I know the difference. But I'll never have the chance to feel it. I'm never going to have anything to live for. I'm never going to die for something. But I am going to die.' That's when he said I was smart. Actually he said I was wise, and I suppose that really is a very different quality."

House considered the boy for a time. Then, nodding resignedly, called, "NURSE!"

"Yes, Dr. House?"

"Watch the kid." With a jerk of his head in the direction of the hospital bed, House turned quickly to the door and walked out as quickly as his handicap would allow. Then, he slowed down and turned to the boy. "What's your name anyway?"

"Greg."

"Well, Greg… your mind could be as great as mine one day. I'm glad you have Dr. Wilson as your friend."

Greg shrugged. "Then I guess it's a real shame I'm dying."

House waved a hand. "We're all dying."


End file.
